Consulting engineer and asset manager Parkman Group has enjoyed a 94% surge in profit after its flotation last July.
Pre-tax profit at the Birmingham-based group rose from £1.1m to £2.1m for the year to 31 March, while operating profit rose 64% to £3m. Turnover increased 28% to £45.8m.

Parkman offers outsourcing and consulting services in the transport, highways, rail, water, property, defence and education sectors. Chairman Richard Archer said all of these key markets were expanding, mainly as a result of the government's drive to enlist the private sector in the upgrading of UK infrastructure.

He said: "The increasing movement to deliver these services using private sector partners further increases our growth potential." Archer said Parkman's order book stood at a record £102m at 31 March.

Turnover increase from £24.6m in 2001 to £27.6m in the group's largest division, highways and transportation. Archer said the division won work through outsourcing and partnering deals. The group's rail division turnover jumped nearly 150% from £1.6m to £3.8m. Parkman has relocated its rail headquarters to Railtrack's Rail House in Manchester.

Parkman generated £10m from its flotation last year after selling 8m shares at 125p. It said it would use some of the cash for acquisitions. So far, it has made two buys, in the education and housing sectors, totalling £600,000.